The self-contained apparatus, method and kit of the present invention is based upon and represents an alternative and useful form of the apparatus, method and kit described in applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,022 issued Aug. 5, 2003. The contents of hereafter referred to '022 patent, are incorporated herein by reference.
As with the invention apparatus described in the '022 patent, the apparatus of the present invention is intended to facilitate removal of a pleasure boat from the water, elevating the boat, maintaining the boat in a stored position elevated above the water, and launching of the boat back into the water when desired. Pleasure boats of the kind to which the present invention is particularly adapted are, as with the invention of the '022 patent, thought of, for purpose of the present description, as being generally within the range of about fifteen to twenty-four feet in length and within the range of about 800 to 6,000 pounds in weight.
Further useful background information related to the present invention is to be found in the background information given in the '022 patent, and therefore will not be repeated here. What is to be recognized however is that the apparatus, method and kit of the '022 patent has brought about a significant improvement in the way pleasure boats are removed from the water, elevated, stored above and later returned to the water. Extensive use of the present invention docking apparatus incorporating the invention of the '022 patent is also to be recognized as having revealed a need for a self-contained docking structure exhibiting both the advantages of the docking structure of the '022 patent as well as the advantage of not being dependent for its construction and operation on any other docking structure. It further exhibits the advantage of being detachably and pivotally securable to a fixed dock, a fixed set of posts, a bulkhead and the like as a self contained operable apparatus.
With the foregoing in mind, the primary object of the present invention becomes that of providing a self contained pleasure boat docking apparatus which can operate without requiring other docking structure and in addition can be detachably and pivotally secured to an existing dock, a bulkhead, or other fixed objects such as a pair of posts adjacent a body of water. The apparatus of the present invention also has an object that of being uniquely adapted for use with a boat support frame, such as found in the '022 patent, onto which the boat can be driven, particularly in shallow water, loaded with passengers, and positioned ready for storage using only the motive power of the boat itself and which, after being positioned on the boat support frame, can with the boat support frame be pivoted so as to elevate the boat above the water for storage and later be pivoted in an opposite direction so as to be able to discharge the boat into the water for further use. The apparatus of the invention also has as an object that of being adapted to use a winching apparatus such as disclosed in the '022 patent.
A further object is that of providing an apparatus of the kind described which can be quickly assembled, quickly removed from the water and quickly disassembled.
Another object is that of providing a method and kit for creating the described apparatus. Other objects will become apparent through the detailed description to follow.